Wrapper feed mechanism for wrapping machines



L. R. BELL Nov. 18, 1958 WRAPPER FEED MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES 4'Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1954 Q: g E 5 s. a

F QE l INVENTOR LEO R. BELL Nov. 18, 1958 L. R. BELL 2,860,459

WRAPPER FEED MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Feb. 25. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LEO R. BELL BY g wmfi ATTORNEY Nov. 18, 1958 L. R. BELL 2,860,469

WRAPPER FEED MECHANISM oR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Feb. 25, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.4

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ATTOR EY Nov. 18, 1958 L. R. BELL 2,350,469

WRAPPER FEED MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Feb. 25, 1954 4 Shets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR LEO R. BELL A zEY United States WRAPPER FEED MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Application February 25, 1954, Serial No. 412,421

8 Claims. (Cl. 53-389) This invention relates to wrapping machines, and more particularly to improvements in mechanism forming a part thereof for feeding and controlling the feed of wrapping material relative to articles being wrapped.

The invention relates to mechanism adapted to relieve tension in the wrapper web in a wrapping machine provided with means in which the draped portion of the free end of wrapper web is engaged by the article to be wrapped as the latter advances into the wrapping machine such that crushing of articles, such as very soft loaves of bread, is substantially eliminated. The invention also contemplates the substantial elimination of improper positioning of the free end of the wrapper web in high speed wrapping machines due to the manner in which the free end is located in the path of travel of articles to be wrapped.

In a high speed wrapping machine of the type described herein, there is provided a lap roller which engages the wrapper web and moves rapidly downwardly therewith to pull paper from a source of supply and disposes it in the path of travel of the next article to be wrapped. In the operation of the lap roller, a dwell thereof is allowed, and during this time the wrapper is out. Subsequently the lap roller moves rapidly downwardly and locates the free cut end of the web of wrapping material in the path of travel of the next article to be wrapped. The rapid downward movement of the lap roller often results in what is termed flying paper. This term is used to indicate the unwanted movement of the free end of the wrapper web which is set up as the result of the passage of the lap roller rapidly down past the free end and upwardly therepast as the lap roller returns to its inoperative position. As the result of the flying paper movement of the wrapper web, it is possible that the free end may not be properly disposed for engagement by the next article to be wrapped as it is moved against the draped end of the Wrapper web onto a suitable lifting mechanism for delivery to the wrapping elements of machine.

Also in a high speed wrapping machine of the type disclosed herein, when articles such as relatively soft loaves of bread are wrapped, the subjection of a loaf of bread to movement by an infeed conveyor against the draped end of the wrapper in moving with the wrapper onto a lifter table, has in the past caused the loaf to be subjected to crushing, which obviously is undesirable because it results not only in a possible distortion of the loaf, but also in an unsatisfactory package in appearance.

The invention constitutes a solution of the above noted problems because there is provided mechanism so constructed and operated that when an article is ready to be moved onto the lifter table, a certain amount of wrapping material is stored by the action of a web feeding control or booster roller so operated that as the loaf is moved onto the lifter table, the booster roller is also moved in the same general direction as the movement of the article and the roller supplies adjacent paper at substantially the same rate of movement as the loaf, so that additional atent O free paper is provided ready to be encircled about the article not as the result of the forward movement of the article and a pulling thereby of such wrapper web as is needed to encircle the article, but as the result of the booster roller in pulling from the source of supply such paper as will be required to provide the necessary length of wrapper available for enwrapping the article. Means are also provided for varying the amount of movement of the booster roller in accordance with the different sizes of articles, such as loaves of bread, by varying the length of stroke or forward operative wrapper web pulling movement of the booster roller. Thus there is provided novel means which makes possible the provision of the desired length of wrapper web by mechanical means so that the loaf of bread being wrapped does not perform the function of pulling the wrapper and because it is not subjected to the tension of the wrapper, is no longer subjected to crushing as in machines heretofore known in the art.

It is an object of the invention to provide a wrapping machine having improved web feeding and wrapper web control mechanism which substantially eliminate distortion of the first fold and crushing of articles being wrapped because of the provision of means for insuring that sufficient free paper will be available for wrapping each article.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a wrapper web feeding mechanism having a web booster and feeding roller which operates substantially concurrently with the movement of an article onto a lifter table such that the roller and not the article being wrapped is responsible for the provision of suflicient free paper for wrapping an article.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improved wrapper Web feeding and control mechanism coacting with the wrapper feeding mechanism of a wrapping machine in order to insure that articles being wrapped will not be subjected to the tension of a wrapper web as the article is moved onto a lifter table, and also to provide means for adjusting and controlling the amount of wrapper material made available for wrapping about an article in accordance with the size, i. e. the girth of an article to be wrapped.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the above statement of the objects of my invention is intended generally to explain the same without limiting it in any manner.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and form a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a wrapping machine provided with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are partial side elevations of a preferred embodiment of the web feeding mechanism of the invention illustrating successive movements and feeding operations thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the wrapping web material W is drawn from a reel R and fed by a continuously rotating web feeding roller 10 over guide rollers 12 and 14 along an inclined web support plate 16. At the upper end of plate 16, the web passes under a guide roller 18 and then over a slack forming and controlling member, such as a booster roller 20, from which it passes over a guide roller 22 so that the leading or free end of the wrapper web W hangs or is draped freely between a gap closer plate 24' and the forward edge of a suitable conveyor, such as lifter table 26 of the wrapping machine. Continuously rotating feed roller 10, and guide rollers other end of spring 100 rests in a and Schmitt Patent 1,851,295. Lifter table 26 is loosely, swingably supported on a transverse shaft 30 mounted in suitable bearings in side frames 28. Lifter table 26 'is-connected by an adjustable rod 32 to actuating arm 34 loosely mounted on transverse shaft 36 supported in suitable bearings in side frames 28. A cam lever 38 formed on the hub of arm 34 is provided at its free end with a cam roller 40 engaging track 42 of cam 44 secured to the main cam shaft 46 of the wrapping machine.

'Cam shaft 46 is also supported by suitable hearings in side frames 28.

Articles to be wrapped, such as loaves of bread L, are fed into the machine by a suitable intermittently moving endless conveyor. This conveyor comprises an endless chain 48 on which are mounted a plurality of suitably spaced conveyor flights 50 adapted to successively engage loaves of bread L and move them intermittently over a runway 52 and deliver them to a loaf delivery station in the machine. From the delivery station, each loaf of bread is pushed by a pusher plate 54 from runway 52 over gap closer plate 24 onto lifter table 26.

The loaf infeed conveyor, comprising conveyor chain 48, flights 50 and runway 52, may be similar in construction and operation to the loaf feeding mechanism shown and described in Arelt Patent 2,365,644. Since this mechanism per se does not form a specific part of the invention, further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Pusher plate 54 is attached to a reciprocating plunger 56 slidably supported in guide lugs 58 attached to a pair of transverse rods 60 secured to the side frames 28 of the wrapping machine. Plunger 56 is connected by links '62 to actuating arm 64. Formed on the hub of arm 64 is a lug 66 having connected thereto one end of a rod 68. The other end of rod 68 is connected to a lever 70 loosely mounted on transverse shaft 36. Formed integrally with lever 70 is an arm 72 which onits free end supports a cam follower 74 adapted to engage cam track 76 of cam 78 mounted on cam shaft 46. Actuating arm 64 is swingably supported on shaft '80 suitably mounted in the side frames 28.

Gap closer plate 24 performs the function of bridging the gap between runway 52 and lifter table 26 during the transfer of loaf L from runway 52 at the delivery station by pusher plate 54 onto lifter table 26. Gap closer plate 24 extends transversely between lifter table 26 and runway 52, as stated above, and has its ends attached to spaced arms 82 forming a part of a frame member designated generally 81 mounted on horizontal shaft 84. An actuating lever forming an integral part of frame member 81 is provided at its free end with an i abutment 89 adapted to coact with an adjustably positioned actuating collar 88 secured to rod 68, as shown in Fig. 1.

Shaft 84 is supported in a suitable bearing bracket 90 secured to and suspended from transverse shaft 92, the ends of which are suitably mounted in side frames 28. Bearing bracket 90 is provided with a lug 94 to which is loosely pinned one end of a floating rod 96 slidably mounted in a bore 97 formed in the central portion of frame member 81. The other end of rod 96 is provided with a shoulder or collar 98 against which presses one end of a tension spring 100 encircling rod 96. The recess 83 formed in frame member 81.

An adjustable stop screw 182 mounted on frame member 81 is adapted to bear agianst stop lug 104 projecting from. bracket 90. Screw 102 serves as a means for adjusting the alignment and position of gap closer plate 24 when the latter is in gap closing position. .See Fig. 1.

Gap closer plate 24 is moved out of the gap between runway 52 and lifter table 26 during the final portion of the return stroke of pusher 54 in order to permit lap roller 106 to move downwardly through this gap without interference. During this stage of the operating cycle of the machine, gap closer plate 24 is maintained positioned beneath runway 52, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

It will be seen that during the last portion of the return stroke of pusher 54 when lug 88 engages abutment 89 on actuating lever 86, this will result in a clockwise movement of lever 86, as viewed in Fig. 1, thereby causing a downward as well as a rearward movement of arms 82 and gap closer plate 24. On the next forward stroke of pusher 54 in the next cycle of operations, lever 86 because of the action of tension spring 100 on frame member 81, follows the now rearwardly moving lug 88 on rod 68 until stop screw 102 engages stop lug 104 and gap closer plate 24 is again aligned with lifter table 26 and runway 52, where it bridges the gap in order to permit a loaf to be pushed from runway 52 onto lifter table 26.

Lap roller 106 and its operating means may be similar in construction and operation to that disclosed in the above referred to Arelt patent and therefore only such structure as is needed to fully understand the invention is disclosed therein. The ends of lap roller 106 are totatably supported on the free ends of spaced arms 108 secured to shaft 30. A lever 110 (Fig. 1) keyed to shaft 30, is connected by means of link 112 to one arm of lever 114 loosely mounted on shaft 36. Lever 114 is provided with an arm 116, the free end of which is formed with an arc-shaped slot118. One end of a rod 122 is secured by a suitable clamp in the arc-shaped slot 118 of arm 116. The other end of rod 122 is connected to a lever 124 loosely mounted on a stud 126 supported in one of the side frames 28. Lever 124 is provided with an arm 128 which at its free end carries a cam follower 130 engaging cam track 132 in cam 134 secured to main cam shaft 46, which as the result of its rotation, controls the motion of arms 108 and lap roller 106 supported thereby.

As mentioned hereinabove, the-wrapper web material W is led over booster roller 20 pivotally supported at its ends in suitably shaped arms 136, loosely mounted on shaft 138 (Fig. 1), supported in suitable bearings in side frames 28. Each arm 136 is provided with a cam follower 142 adapted to engage a pair of adjustable cams 144 secured to a continuously rotating cross shaft 146 journaled in suitable hearings in side frames 28. Shaft 146 carries a sprocket 148 on which runs a chain 150 driven by sprocket 142 mounted on continuously rotating cam shaft 46. One cam of each pair of cams 144 carries two spaced clamp screws 154 adapted to engage with a suitable slot 156 formed in the other of each of the pairs of cams 144, thus providing means for adjusting the operating contour of cams 144. Cam followers 142 are maintained in constant engagement with their respective cams 144 by means of tension springs 158 having one end secured to a lever 136 and the other attached to the side frame of the machine in a suitable manner.

The operation of the mechanism described hereinabove operates as follows: At the beginning ofa wrapping cycle, the leading end of the wrapper web material W is draped or extends downwardly from guide roller 22 and hangs between lifter table 26 and gap closer plate 24, as shown in Fig. 1. As an article, such as a loaf of bread L, is pushed by pusher 54 from between conveyor flights 50 at the delivery station and over runway 52 onto lifter table 26, the leading end of the draped wrapper web material W is pressed against back tension plate 27 of lifter table 26 by the loaf L as it is pushed onto lifter table 26. Back tension plate 27 may be similar in construction and operation to that shown in the above referred to Gladek et al. patent and further disclosures thereof are deemed unnecessary. As the result of the forward movement of pusher 54 in delivering a loaf onto lifter table 26, back tension plate 27 is moved rearwardly thereon with the leading end of wrapper web W firmly held between back tension plate 27 and loaf L.

During the transfer operation of loaf L by pusher 54 onto lifter table 26, and as soon as the free end of the wrapper web material W is pressed against back tension plate 27 by the advancing loaf L, booster roller 20, because of the operation of cams 144, moves in the direction of the arrow A, as shown in Fig. 1, and continues to move in the same direction during the entire time the loaf L is being pushed onto lifter table 26. This results in the supplying of additional wrapping material which has been held in readiness and available for this purpose in the form of a loop P (Fig. 1) by the booster roller 20 so that the loaf is prevented from being subiected t and absorbing the strain of pulling the wrapping material directly from the source of supply or reel R during the article transfer operation, as has been the general practice heretofore in the art.

As soon as loaf L is properly positioned on lifter table 26, pusher plate 54 is retracted and lifter table 26 is moved upwardly into alignment with foldway 170 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) by the mechanism described hereinabove. During the upward movement of lifter table 26, lap roller 106 is moved downwardly and disposes the wrapping web material W over the top and free side of loaf L, and at the same time effects the feed of additional wrapping material from the reel R.

During the operation of lap roller 106, booster roller 20 continues its movement in the direction of arrow A as shown in Fig. 1, until it is substantially in line with guide roller 22 and Web support plate 16. See Fig. 3. Because the downward movement of lap roller 106 is quite rapid, a loop T is formed in that portion of wrapping web material W under lap roller 106 (Fig. 3). This loop T, however, in accordance with the invention, is taken up substantially immediately by the now upwardly moving booster roller 20 which is moving in the direction of arrow B. See Fig. 4. Thus, because of this operation of booster roller 20, when the web is cut, danger of flying paper is substantially eliminated because of the control exerted upon the wrapper web material W by booster 20. When loop T is taken up, booster roller 20 continues its upward movement, or movement in the direction of arrow B, and pulls more wrapper web material W from reel R to form a reserve loop or web supply available for wrapping the next loaf L. Also, as stated, as soon as loop T is taken up and the wrapper material web W is taut, or tensioned, a suitable knife 160, supported on pivoted arms 162, is actuated by means of suitable cams (not shown) to cut the Wrapper web material W. See Fig. 5. The knife operating mechanism is substantially identical with that disclosed in the above referred to Schmitt patent and further detailed disclosure thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The trailing end of the cut length of wrapping material surrounding the loaf L on lifter table 26 is guided by means of roller 29 mounted on lifter table 26, and a roller 31 supported in a pair of pivoted arms 164 mounted on shaft 178, as loaf L is pushed by conveyor flights 166 from lifter table 26 over a bridge plate 168 onto runway 170 of the wrapping machine foldway (not shown). The web guiding mechanism including roller 31 and arms 164 may be substantially the same in construction and operation as that shown in the above referred to Schmitt patent.

As mentioned hereinabove, booster roller 20 during its return movement in the direction of arrow B, Figs. 4 and 5, draws from the reel R a reserve loop of wrapper web material W for the next article to be wrapped. In order to prevent undue strain on that part of the web which surrounds a partially/ wrapped loaf L supported by lifter table 26 before the wrapper web material W is cut, and also to prevent shifting or dislodging the leading end of the wrapper after the cutting operation,

there is provided a web clamping member designated generally 171. This clamping member acts to clamp the web as soon as the booster on its return stroke has removed excess slack from the web under the lap roller. In the illustrated embodiment, this clamping member comprises a cross bar 174 attached to and operated by a pair of arms 176 pivotally supported on cross shaft 179 mounted in suitable bearing lugs in side frames 28. Bar 174 is provided with a plurality of spaced clamping knobs 172, preferably formed from a resilient or compressible material, such as rubber, suitably attached thereto. See Fig. 6.

Clamping member 171 is maintained in operative position with knobs 172 holding wrapper web material W against roller 22 until pusher 54 moves a loaf L forwardly onto lifter table 26 and engages the wrapper material web partially enwrapping the loaf with back tension plate 27. At this time the leading end of wrapper web material W is held against displacement, so that on continued forward movement of pusher 54, and as the result of the concurrent movement of booster roller 20 in the direction of arrow A, the paper of loop P is released and made available for wrapping about the loaf.

The hub of each arm 176 is provided with a cam lever 180 which on its free end carries a cam follower 182, Figs. 1 and 6, adapted to engage and track a pair of cams 184 fixed to cam shaft 146. One cam of each pair of cams 184 is provided with a pair of concentric slots 186 adjustably secured to its companion cam by means of suitable screws 190. The slotted cam of each pair is loosely mounted on cam shafts 146 in order to provide for relative rotary movement between the pair of cams so that desired adjustments in the operative profile of the pair of cams may be made. A tension spring 192, attached to each cam lever 180 and anchored to plate 170, assures constant engagement of each cam follower 182 with its respective pair of cams 184.

As soon as the wrapper web material W is cut by knife 160, lap roller 106 is moved rapidly downwardly by the operating mechanism described hereinabove, and as the result of this movement, the free end of the web of wrapper material W is displaced downwardly in such fashion as to hang or be draped, as shown in Fig. 5, in front of the retracted gap closer plate 24, or in the gap between the gap closer plate 24 and lifter table 26, as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to prevent the reserve wrapper web material loop P, created by booster roller 20, from being payed out in the case of a missing loaf, a friction brush 194 is provided. This brush 194 adjacent roller 22 and in contact with web W, presents sufficient frictional resistance to wrapper web material loop P as booster roller 20 moves into operative position adjacent roller 22 to prevent paying out of web W around roller 22 as clamping knobs 172 move to their operative position adjacent web W at roller 22. The location and movement into operative position of booster roller 20 and clamping knobs 172 is such that web W will be in contact with brush 194 until clamping knobs 172 arrive at roller 22. Likewise, brush 194 prevents the leading end of the wrapper material web W from sliding downwardly as clamping knobs 172 and booster roller 20 move to their inoperative position at the beginning of the loaf transferring portion of the operating cycle of the machine. Brush 194, which extends transversely across the machine beneath plate 170, is mounted on cross member 196 suitably secured to and suspended from the underside of plate as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device, selected to illustrate the invention, is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. It is not, therefore, to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. A wrapping machine comprising a source of supply of'a continuous web of Wrapping material, an article receiving station, an article conveyor, means for draping the free end of said wrapping material web between said receiving station and said conveyor, support means for supporting a' reserve supply of web available for wrapping about an article, means for moving an article from said receiving station against said draped wrapping material web and onto said conveyor, mechanism operative during to the movement of said article with said wrapping material onto said conveyor for moving said support means to pay out said reserve supply of wrapping material web for arrangement about said article and means for subsequently moving said support means, during the operation of said conveyor, to tighten said wrapping material web about said draping means, thereby controlling the free end of said Wrapping material web.

2. A wrappingmachine of the type described, a lifter table, means draping the leading end of a wrapper web across the path of travel of an article to be wrapped onto said lifter table, a source of supply of wrapper material web, a booster roller adapted to support a loop of slack wrapper web material, movable support means for said boosterroller, means for moving an article to be Wrapped against said draped leading end of said wrapper web, means operative substantially concurrently with the operation of said last named means for moving said support means of said booster roller to pay out said slack loop of wrapper web over said booster roller for wrapping about said article and means for subsequently moving said support means, during the operation of said lifter table'to make said wrapper material web taut about said draping means.

3. In a wrapping machine of the class described, a lifter table, a source of supply of wrapper material web, means supporting the leading end of said Wrapper web in the path of travel of an article onto said lifter table, a lap roller, means for operating said lap roller to pull wrapper web from said source of supply, a booster roller, a movable support for said booster roller supporting said booster roller adjacent said lap roller, and means 'for moving said support of said booster roller to pull an additional supply of wrapper web from said source of supply, and means for stopping the movement of said support of said booster roller with said booster roller supporting said additional supply of wrapper web available for wrapping about an article.

4. The machine defined in claim 3, including a conveyor for moving said article against said leading end of said wrapper web and onto said lifter table, and mechanism for moving said support of said booster roller in the same general direction of movement as said article to pay out said supply of slack supported thereby and i thereby prevent tensioning the wrapper web partially encircling said article.

5. The invention defined in claim 3, including a support for an article, and mechanism for moving said support of said booster roller towards said lifter table'substantially concurrently with the movement'of said article with the leading end of said wrapper onto said lifter table, including means operative subsequent to the delivery of a partially wrapped article onto said lifter table for tightening said wrapper about said lap roller and pulling additional web available for wrapping the next article.

6. The invention defined in claim 3 including a knife, web clamping means for holding said web extended between said article and said booster roller prior to the operation of said knife, and means for operating said knife to cut said tensione'd web.

7. The invention defined in claim 3 including means for engaging the upper surface of a portion of said additional supply of wrapper web to prevent displacement of said wrapper material web in the event of the failure of an article to be moved into engagement with said leading end of said wrapper Web, said means comprising a transverse brush, and means for supporting said brush.

8. In a wrapping machine of the class described, a lifter table, a source of supply of wrapper material web, means supporting the leading end of said wrapper web in the path of travel of an article onto said lifter table, a lap roller, means for operating said lap roller to pull wrapper web from said source of supply, a booster roller, a movable support for said booster roller means for moving said support of said booster roller to pull an additional supply of Wrapper web from said source of supply, means for stopping the movement of said support of said booster roller with said booster roller supporting said additional supply of wrapper web available for wrapping about an article, a support for an article to be wrapped, a gap closer, means for positioning said gap closer between said lifter table and said support to support an article being moved by said conveyor onto said lifter table, mechanism for moving said booster, roller support towards said lifter table during the movement of said article onto said lifter table to pay out said additional supply of wrapper web supported thereby, said mechanism including means for retracting said booster roller support to take up slack formed in said web by said lap roller, clamp means for clamping said wrapper web against downward movement after said booster roller has taken up said slack, said mechanism also including means for continuing the retracting movement of said booster roller support to provide said additional wrapper web supply.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,400,827 Leumann Dec. 20, 1921 2,356,644 Arelt Aug. 22, 1944 2,382,420 Jensen Aug. 14, 1945 2,451,287 Hoppe Oct. 12, 1948 2,727,344 Lyon et a1. Dec. 20, 1955 2,747,349 Kottmann May 29, 1956 

